In response to these factors, Habitat reinvented itself to serve the community as a developer as well a builder of affordable homes. This strategy became reality in 2004 with the purchase of the Sunrise Trailer Court in Charlottesville.

brought down our own land costs considerably by rezoning parcels to higher densities and uses

invested the proceeds from lots we created into building affordable homes with our Partner Families

leveraged our land assets to collateralize loans and tax credit transactions, allowing us to build more homes and purchase still more land

created healthy revenue streams, allowing us to invest in maintenance at Southwood while establishing a reserve/redevelopment fund

gained access to new opportunities by catching the attention of funders who are supporting initiatives ranging from sustainability upgrades to services for the elderly

demonstrated our ability to build attractive, urban scale housing in settings that are appealing to market rate buyers.This success has prompted invitations from other developers to build Habitat homes in their market rate developments.

Because we took these risks and made prudent investments, Habitat’s new approach has gained increasing traction in our local community, where market rate builders are including affordable housing in their new neighborhoods. It also is capturing the attention of affordable homebuilders in other areas. Our development initiatives are demonstrating how to make mixed income communities work – financially, socially and aesthetically.

Going forward, Southwood - 100 acres with 348 trailers in the urban ring - presents an opportunity to begin to solve the local affordable housing crisis. We also see it as an opportunity to share ideas in redevelopment, financing, community building, affordability and green infrastructure with a nation of developers,builders and other Habitat affiliates who are watching us closely.